Dec 7 2000
Dave, Tom & List,
I have been to W & P Beltring (Fantastic!!) and I have a few suggestions:
Arrive at Gatwick airport. The train to Paddock Wood is a good idea.
However, at your arrival at the Paddock Wood station, you have to take a
taxi to your Hotel and you have with you your luggages... Also you are
tired from the trip, time fuse, luggage waiting/collecting, Customs, etc.
I did profit of the Special Offer arranged by the W & P Officials with an
important taxi Company: a taxi (booked by fax in advance!) was waiting for
me at the airport. A driver in full dress (white shirt and tie, no jeans
or casuals!), took care of my luggage and put it in the trunk of a
wonderful Mercedes. All for £ 30.00 (about $ 44.00)!! I did enquire about
the cost for coming back to Gatwick: same price, same Mercedes, which come
to my Hotel at Beltring at 6.00 a.m. to pick me back to Gatwick airport
well in time for the check in, etc. I had with me more luggage to carry
(books, magazines, die cast Mil-Veh models...).
I did not bring with me an empty suitcase (good idea!!), I did have a
larger Samsonite airplane rigid suitcase, too large for my laundry needs:
however, it was larger then needed... to carry "the goodies" purchased at
the stalls in Beltring....
Bring with you shorts, but also regular paints (jeans), a wind jacket for
the evening/night, an umbrella, rubber soled shoes (if it will rains).
Summer in England is NOT existent (well, for us living in Naples!!!).
However, everybody at Beltring (including girls/women!) wear "greens"!
O.D. and camo shirts, jackets, pants, uniforms seems to be a must! I have
seen people coming in civilian dressing, quickly going directly to the
stalls to buy (and wear!) camo, greens, etc.
Bring camera films (more then needed!!), spare battery (I had a problem
with the battery of my camera and I forgot the spare one on my desk at home
in Italy.: they did not have my size at the souvenir shop in Beltring!
Ouch! and I had to take a taxi to Paddock Wood to get one, not cheap, of
course!).).
IMPORTANT! Why don't we try to arrive a couple of days before: we can
meet somewhere and go all together to the Imperial War Museum in London:
very easy, from Paddock Wood, by train to London, then by subway to the
Imperial War Museum!! The same to come back! Think about it and let's
organize this visit all together!!!
If you have questions, feel free to ask.
Raimondo - MVPA 15878 & IMPS 2320
(Need for Christmas or your home Decorative Ceramics? For the best,
handmade, original, Italian ceramics of Capodimonte, please click here.
http://www.ceramicofnaples.it).
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